Here we are with another edition of Random Reviews. Today, I will be covering Dungeons & Dragons Monopoly.
As you know, anytime there is a popular fad, Hasbro will make a Monopoly game to pander to the public. Dungeons & Dragons is no different with the rise in its popularity due to the widely-acclaimed Critical Role show and people being stuck at home during COVID.
So let’s start with what makes this game stand apart from the other 300 Monopoly games.
Right off the bat, the classic Dungeons & Dragons artwork covering the entire middle of the board is stunning. A small band of adventurers facing off against a dragon in its lair. The six game tokens that come with the game is a salute to the classic tabletop game, with each token taking the shape of an adventurer – though not as highly-detailed as the classic Dungeons & Dragons minis. They have included a Halfling Rogue, a Human Fighter, a Human Wizard, a Dwarven Cleric, a Tiefling Bard, and an Elven Ranger.
As with all the other Monopoly games they have changed all the properties to reflect the Dungeons & Dragons theme. In this case, the properties are named after monsters from the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. For those who are not in the know, the Monster Manual is a tome with all of the monsters and their stats used in playing Dungeons & Dragons. Also, the cards for the game have changed names from Community Chest and Chance to Encounters and Treasure. What the cards say also have a more Dungeons and Dragons tone to them. The money has also been tweaked to show the Dungeons & Dragons logo.
Now for what I thought were the lows for the game… I was very excited to receive this and even more excited for the Reptile family to sit down and play this on “family game night.” Well, once we got into it, we found that other than the superficial facelift they gave the game, it didn’t veer at all from the traditional Monopoly game. I mean, come on Hasbro. You got the nod from Wizards of the Coast to produce this game… why not go all out? What they didn’t change were the houses and hotels and still called them houses and hotels. Now wouldn’t it be cooler if they had them as Taverns and Inns or at least Hovels and Inns? And why didn’t they dump the traditional plastic houses and hotels and replace them with something that would look more like a D&D Tavern, Inn, or home? I’m tempted to print my own and dispose of the ones that came with the game. Another low was the spaces on the board that were kept exactly the same as when the game first came out in 1935. Free Parking? Dungeons & Dragons has Parking? The traditional policeman with whistle that says GO TO JAIL is still its usual corner space and graphics. Wouldn’t you think it would be a trip to the Dungeon? Jail? Well, yeah Jail, but shouldn’t it be a Dungeon or at least a Stockade? The “GO” space is exactly the same too. Why not “Adventure begins – Collect 200 Gold”? The money system could also be revamped to reflect Gold, Silver, Copper, and Platinum just like in the real Dungeons & Dragons game.
For my money, I give this game 3 stars. It had so much promise and it fell short in my opinion. I mean, other than a thin Dungeons & Dragons skin, it’s just plain ole Monopoly. Come on Hasbro, take my advice. I’m sure the D&D fans would be more apt to buy with some improvements.
This has been yet another Reptile’s Random Review.
